It is the small hand without the hand, 'ending darkness'
pouched words like 'a glove' like 'fitting', 'ending darkness'
Here comes love it's right on time, 'small amended world'
and grief so punctual the crash the slipping fingers, 'small amended world'

Tonight, the piano is boiling silence, it is the song, 'ending rightness'
The song 'of amber' the song 'the definite article', 'ending rightness'
The amber cools and calmness enters 'shaped like an ocean, the walk by'
The song cools and calmness enters 'shaped like an ocean, the walk by'

It is romantic, it is the measure of me now, 'walk away in silence'
The hands with the block of light, we call 'the player' 'walk away in silence'
No amber may contain the amber, it is the metaphor 'shaped like an ocean'
It's the block 'no more, no further', it is the 'is', 'shaped like an ocean'

Amber in the mouth 'weight' amber in the air 'brightness, the dissolute'
And grains of basmati rice 'amber' stones and kilos 'amber, the dissolute'
Worn like earrings 'amber' and the wait at the lights, 'shaped like an ocean'
Punched words like 'coal' like 'mark' like 'like', 'shaped like an ocean'

And here comes loss, it's right on time, 'the next word on'
And the lovely air whose only thought is leaving, 'evening', 'the next word on'
The piano boils a single black tear, 'tonight', 'it is the point'
The bereft air 'unbelievably tender' tenders no way home, 'it is the point'

And on fluid amber we hit the brakes and go
and the next lost-rolled word, afterwards, comes on
How gentle it seems now, that poor, stressed-out word, 'remember'
How sweet, a forgetful alcohol, we drink well, 'remember'

But still

Copyright © Michael Ayres, 2003.

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